Breaking barriers in sports

First female wrestler at Discovery Middle School enjoys two successful seasons.

First female wrestler at Discovery Middle School enjoys two successful seasons.

June 05, 2007|KIM KILBRIDE Tribune Staff Writer

For an entire week, Sarah Hildebrandt begged her mom for permission to join the boys wrestling team at Discovery Middle School. The answer was always the same. At a slight 65 pounds, she could get hurt. And, other kids might tease her, Nancy Hildebrandt worried. After being promised by coach Raoul Donati that he wouldn't "throw her to the wolves," Nancy and her husband, Chris Hildebrandt, relented. Fast forward through her first two wrestling seasons at Discovery and Sarah is the first girl ever to have won the Big 11 Conference, Donati said. All in all, the coach said, she's been a knockout success for the team. "As that first year progressed," Donati said, "it wasn't like she was a girl wrestler. She was a good wrestler." This school year, in addition to winning the Big 11 Conference, she won four other tournaments. And, she had an undefeated record of 26-0. Looking back, Sarah, who's now finishing up her eighth-grade year at Discovery, and who grew to love wrestling from watching her two brothers participate in the sport, said she has no regrets. She's enjoyed every minute of the action. And, as far as any mockery goes, she's gotten almost the opposite reaction. Her mom says, most everyone, from the school administration to the coaches to participants, spectators and other students, has been supportive of her. Even the guys on the team welcomed Sarah. Once teammate Zach Storms, now an eighth-grader, saw what she could do, he said, "My jaw like dropped." Guys aren't the only ones who've been impressed by Sarah, though. She's become something of an icon for young ladies, Donati said. At a young age, the coach said, girls are often sent the message that they can't compete with boys. Sarah refused to accept that unwritten rule. She considered it a challenge, Donati said, and worked very hard to show everyone that girls can not only take on boys, but sometimes -- many times, in her case -- beat them. "Her achievement," he said, "will be used as a comparison for future girl wrestlers." As she prepares for her freshman year at Penn, Sarah is as feisty as ever. She has no reservations about wrestling with the boys there. Donati said he's warned her that high school could be a different story. "She's probably going to take a lot of jabbing in the halls," he said. But, she's determined to eventually earn herself a spot on the varsity wrestling team. And, this time, she probably won't have to beg her parents for permission.Staff writer Kim Kilbride: kkilbride@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6554